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As they left the church the family’s 5 year old boy handed the pastor a quarter and said, “This is for you!” The pastor said, “Why are you giving me this?” The boy said, “Today you said we should help the poor!” The pastor replied, “That’s true and this is very nice of you. I will give it to the poor!” The boy quickly protested, “No that’s for you! My dad says you are the poorest preacher we ever had!”

Some preachers are better than others just as some car salesmen are better than others, and some doctors are better than others. This past week Miguel Cabrera, a Detroit Tiger baseball player won the Triple Crown. He had more home runs, more runs batted in, and a better batting average than any other baseball player in his league. To lead in all three categories is rare. It is a great accomplishment and it shouldn’t surprise us that his team now in the post season hoping for a chance at the World Series

Being recognized as “one of the best” preachers or teachers, or coaches or officers, or soldiers or employees is fine and good, but in the end one’s efforts should help others. That’s what Jesus did. He was the best of the best, but He didn’t come to make a name for himself. Instead he humbled himself and took on the form of a servant in order to save others, and He did save others by His suffering and death on the cross. As Jesus said, “The son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus is the only one who could save people from their sins and death. He had to do it himself; no one else could do it. But He did it to make us a part of His community and He calls us to use the gifts we have to work with others in caring for others. Cabrera’s talents helped his team win, but by himself he couldn’t win a single game. He needed a pitcher, a catcher, a coach and many more team members in order to get the job done. The same is true for us. We are not meant to go it “alone”. We have others around us to help us and for us to help them. Together we can do some amazing jobs…even if we are not the best at what we do; we can use what talents we have together with others in order to get the job done, in order to have a job well done!